INTRODUCING: RENTAL HOUSE #3!

Say hello to our new home (for now). At some point we’ll own OUR VERY OWN home, but here I am introducing you to rental house #3!

Let’s rewind a bit and start at the beginning. Here’s the story: while we were on the hunt for a house to buy in the Spring of 2020, I stumbled across this gorgeous home and although it was out of our price range (sigh…the Vancouver market), it was the kind of home I could imagine raising a family in. There’s a big back yard and a deck off of the kitchen (indoor / outdoor living please!), 4 bedrooms upstairs and truly, THAT is a near impossible find in this city.

Fast forward a few months and Covid restrictions meant that more and more people were working from home (and I was full-time homeschooling our 3 kids). I had completely forgotten about this house. I read an article saying that lots of families were moving out of the city and that was driving rental houses down in price. I quickly hopped online and did a brief search. Very surprisingly, I spotted this house straight away: the new owners had listed it for rent! Maybe it was meant to be.

While the timing seemed a bit off (I’d just finished refreshing our last rental house), this presented the opportunity for the kids to have their own rooms and all of us to have more indoor and outdoor space and with SO much more time spent at home than usual, we decided to go for it! I think in reality, we were all ready for something new to look at after a year of being inside the same space together. Imagine that?! ;)

So, come on in…let me give you a quick tour of a few spaces I’ll be sharing here on the blog!

THE BATHROOM:

This is the first major space that needs updating. I know some people think that we’re crazy updating bathrooms in our rental houses, but it is the most important room (in my opinion) to know is clean, so it’s worth it to me!

Aesthetics aside, can you see that the bathroom is barely functional with the door opening directly into the tub and shower? Yikes! I believe this is the reason that we ended up taking this house (knowing I could change this) and others might not have been so keen.

KIDS ROOMS:

The kids each have their own in this house!!! This is one of the main reasons we were interested in moving. Our twins (now 10 years old) have shared a room since birth and were starting to ask for more of their own space. Our youngest, 8 years old has been lucky to have his own room the whole way along and of course always wishes he shared. The rooms are all a good size and each has its’ own closet. Check.

Kids Room #1 - Noelle’s Room

Kids Room #2 - Kaia’s Room

Kids Room #3 - Xavier’s Room (we brought his light from the last room!)

Xavier’s room won't be much of a change from the last house, but I still think it would be helpful to show you how we can buy furniture for one home and use it in the next. Quality furniture lasts and looks great everywhere!

LIVING ROOM:

Good bones, good size, good light and a fireplace mantel, which means we can hang stockings at Christmas! This room feels easy to freshen up and worthy of many family game nights.

View from fireplace wall (below).

BASEMENT:

It’s a good thing we’ve been designing lots of basement playrooms because I will finally get to design somewhere fun to play for my own kids! I’m thinking TV lounge area and art space.

For those of you that have read this far, thank you for being interested in our new home! I can’t wait to share the updates alongside our kids’ room designs as we freshen up and decorate this rental house to create a new home for our family.

THE MARCH EDIT: FAVOURITE PICKS OF THE MONTH

With the arrival of March, our kids have been noticing all the bulbs popping out of the soil here in Vancouver and it’s giving me hope that Spring is on its’ way! While I know we are still at least a few weeks away from the real arrival of Spring weather, these picks are good enough to get us through the last of the wintery days.

Click on any image to shop the item…

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FEBRUARY FAVOURITES

HOMESCHOOL ROOM

NEUTRAL PLAYROOM

HOW TO CREATE AN ART SPACE FOR KIDS

While having a kids’ art studio is your own home may be out of reach for many people, creating an art space for children is something that you can do no matter how big or small of a space you have!

Sophie & Minji Playroom Project

“Art is a place for children to learn to trust their ideas, themselves and to explore what is possible.”

~Maryann F. Kohl

After creating art spaces in both clients’ homes and also our own home, I have learned some key takeaways about how to create a functional art space for kids.

1. Clear table space (or floor space if no table!)

   A table space without clutter is the ideal place to start art creations. Having a clear area (can be a piece of floor!) gives kids the opportunity to start with a blank slate and let their imaginations run wild. In the same way as starting any organizing project by clearing away the clutter, having a clear area to create really is the ideal start.

2. Open-ended supplies

   Group like supplies together (i.e the corks in a jar, paint brushes together, washi tape together, egg cartons together, etc.). Giving open ended supplies (rather than craft kits with a one purpose art idea) encourages kids to use their own imagination and ideas to create. Process art (basically art that is self-directed by the child with the emphasis on discovery) is by far my favourite way to create with kids, as the focus is on the artistic experience rather than the final product. I love this type of art, especially when kids are learning (always!) and still feel like they are making ‘mistakes’ with their art; you can always alter your course when there is no end ‘product’ that needs to look a certain way! If you are working with a small space (i.e. an art corner), think about having a box tucked away in a nearby closet with key supplies to bring out when needed.

Kids Creative Art Studio Project

3. Keep the space simple and organized

Harder said than done, but a relatively tidy space when starting out allows creativity to go wild! While our art space appears like a chaotic mess by the end of an art session, so much is learned in the clean up and keeping of a simple and organized space. Kids tend to treat materials with more care when they are tasked with maintaining an organized system and having items that are easy to find enables a good start to a new project. With an organized space, kids can learn to come and create more frequently and independently when the impulse (or need to decompress) arises.

4. Display kids’ art!

This one is SO important! Making a point of keeping your children’s art on display in your home and making a point to share your joy in their projects will certainly help little ones feel proud of their contributions to your home decor. I love the Ikea Dignitet wire for a simple and easily changeable hanging solution and of course, hanging framed work or canvases of kids’ art is a lovely way to incorporate their work into your home too.

North Van Playroom Project

Kids Creative Art Studio Project

5. Keep a positive attitude!

Art, like almost everything in life requires patience and practice. Keeping the mood happy and light and navigating new supplies together with your little ones can keep an art session from turning into a frustrating experience that ends in tears. One tip I’ve learned over the years is to provide supplies that are age appropriate - while small beads will be near impossible for toddlers to use, finger painting will likely provide a super fun, albeit messy experience. As kids spend more time practicing, they can work more and more independently.

GET THE LOOK…

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GIRLS PLAYROOM

MODERN BLUE + WHITE PLAYROOM

KIDS CREATIVE ART STUDIO

THE FEBRUARY EDIT: FAVOURITE PICKS OF THE MONTH

February is here and that means we are through the shortest and darkest days of the year. Hurray for that! This months’ edit is all about the everyday…things you’ll find around my home and a beautiful fair trade quilt by newcomer Kindred Baby.

SHOP OUR PICKS!

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TWIN GIRLS ROOM

HOME SCHOOL ROOM

MODERN PLAYROOM

16 OF OUR FAVOURITE PLAY TABLES FOR KIDS

Let’s talk play tables! One of the biggest requests’ clients have when we create playrooms is to design a space that will grow with their child. Each item is chosen intentionally for the age and stage that children are in and play tables are no different. While a low kids table is ideal for toddlers and very young children, once kids are over six, I find something a little higher is slightly more comfortable.

While chairs and stools are great to have, many toddlers prefer to stand up at a table and ensuring the right size table is a good start for keeping kids interested in what’s on the table to play with. As we know, entertained toddlers are the happiest toddlers! So, in order to accommodate our youngest clients and also children over 6, I’ve rounded up my favourite play tables in two categories: 

1. Play tables that are 20” and under; and

2. Play tables that are over 20” in height

Some come with chairs and some do not so we’ve included a few extra chairs sets to match these adorable tables just for kids. This play table (below) is one of our most commonly asked about tables. It’s the perfect simple white table that will last until kids are 10-12 years old. With no edges to hold in toys, this table works best for arts and crafts, games, etc. and could even be used as a desk.

SHOP THE LOOK…

Source: Courtney Nye Design

What to look for when shopping for tables:

Size:

When it comes to choosing the perfect table for your little one(s), consider the height, the number of children who can be seated at the table as well as the space you have for the table to fit in. If you are working with a small corner, consider a round table for 2-4 kids. If you have a bigger space (like above), choose a table that can accommodate more. You will find the bigger size useful for little cousins or friends, playdates or making bigger projects as kids grow.

Shape:

While this really comes down to personal preference, a round table allows all children to be facing each other and is well suited to a corner situation. If given the option between a round play table or a square one (both fitting the same number of kids), I choose the round to eliminate sharp corners. A small rectangular table can be placed against a wall and a larger rectangular table can be great for two kids working at each end; especially useful to give kids their own independent space or for arguing toddlers (speaking from experience here!).

Style:

Whether modern or traditional, or a different style all together, a play table can fit with your other home decor beautifully if you choose carefully. I love a simple white table because it is easy to clean and most marks can be removed without changing the colour.

Now that you’ve considered all of the different angles of the perfect play table for you, here are our favourites!

PLAY TABLES (20” high or under):

PLAY TABLES (over 20” high):

EXTRA CHAIRS AND STOOLS TO MATCH:

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MODERN PLAYROOM

8 BEST PLAY KITCHENS

KIDS PLAYHOUSE MAKEOVER